Atlantis' leadership in s4 - Spoilers and speculation

[Tracy Jane]

To be honest, there's no way Sam would be leading Atlantis. Yes, she has seniority over Sheppard, but all things considered, Caldwell outranks her and blatantly wants the job. Not to mention the fact that it doesn't make any sense.

Personally, I think that Weir has been reduced to recurring simply because the screentime they are giving her as expedition leader doesn't warrant a place in the main credits. I don't think there's anything to worry about in terms of Sam taking over, especially as she's coming on her own ship.

[flynn1959]

To be honest, there's no way Sam would be leading Atlantis. Yes, she has seniority over Sheppard, but all things considered, Caldwell outranks her and blatantly wants the job. Not to mention the fact that it doesn't make any sense.

Personally, I think that Weir has been reduced to recurring simply because the screentime they are giving her as expedition leader doesn't warrant a place in the main credits. I don't think there's anything to worry about in terms of Sam taking over, especially as she's coming on her own ship.

The trouble is that if they don't put Carter in charge of Atlantis, where do they put her? If they give her her own ship she should only have the amount of screen time/lines that they have in the past given to Caldwell. I don't see that being enough to warrent bringing her over and stirring up all this fuss. Unless they shift a lot more of the action from the base/planets and move it to space, that changes the show quite a bit.

If they put her on the team with Sheppard that screws the whole dynamic of the show, she would be the one in charge, not him. He would need to defer to her in all things. Carter would be the one Rodney goes to on missions not Sheppard. That changes everything.

Wier has in the past, as you say, not really had enough lines/screen time to warrent her position in the credits. That would need to change if they do put Carter in charge. I don't see AT coming in with less than second billing or at the very least a 'with AT as Sam Carter' thing at the end like Mackay. She will expect to have more lines/screen time than Wier did, which given her former position on SG1 is only right. Where do you think that will come from? Who will lose out?

Ronan is the Teal'c of Atlantis... big,strong alien guy, a man of few words, except his tatoo is on the side of his neck not his forhead. He may end up wallpapered a little but I don't see him changing too much. Same with teyla.
Becket is gone, his lines will no doubt go to the new doctor.

Carter's lines/screen time can only come from one place, Rodney and or Sheppard. They are the ones who will lose out, that dynamic will be the one to go. Unless they add time to the show, which they can't, someones screen time/lines will be sacrificed.

I don't want that to happen.

[RealmOfX]

The trouble is that if they don't put Carter in charge of Atlantis, where do they put her? If they give her her own ship she should only have the amount of screen time/lines that they have in the past given to Caldwell. I don't see that being enough to warrent bringing her over and stirring up all this fuss. Unless they shift a lot more of the action from the base/planets and move it to space, that changes the show quite a bit.

If they put her on the team with Sheppard that screws the whole dynamic of the show, she would be the one in charge, not him. He would need to defer to her in all things. Carter would be the one Rodney goes to on missions not Sheppard. That changes everything.

Wier has in the past, as you say, not really had enough lines/screen time to warrent her position in the credits. That would need to change if they do put Carter in charge. I don't see AT coming in with less than second billing or at the very least a 'with AT as Sam Carter' thing at the end like Mackay. She will expect to have more lines/screen time than Wier did, which given her former position on SG1 is only right. Where do you think that will come from? Who will lose out?

Ronan is the Teal'c of Atlantis... big,strong alien guy, a man of few words, except his tatoo is on the side of his neck not his forhead. He may end up wallpapered a little but I don't see him changing too much. Same with teyla.
Becket is gone, his lines will no doubt go to the new doctor.

Carter's lines/screen time can only come from one place, Rodney and or Sheppard. They are the ones who will lose out, that dynamic will be the one to go. Unless they add time to the show, which they can't, someones screen time/lines will be sacrificed.

I don't want that to happen.

Sam has many skills and qualifications and they can put her in a myriad of positions depending on what the plot circumstances are. In regards to who takes orders from who - I'm sorry, but that is not the way the military works. IF they did something as lamebrained as putting Sam on Shep's team as a member of his team then she would have to follow his orders. IF they did something as lamebrained as putting Sam on Shep's team as the leader then Shep would have to follow her orders. It depends on who is assigned command of the unit. See Command Reg (I think in Section 1 somewhere).

As for taking screen time off other people well it really all depends on the writers doesn't it and what the role Sam is assigned to on the show. I'm afraid we're going to have to wait and see. Quite frankly Weir, Teyla and Ronon get the short end of the stick now, so it shouldn't change too much. Screwing up the so called dynamic may or may not happen, believe me I'll be voicing my disapproval of TPTB's actions if they do what they did to SG-1.

*wanders off muttering*
*25 eps to cancellation*
*I hope they don't try to beat their own record*

[flynn1959]

As for taking screen time off other people well it really all depends on the writers doesn't it and what the role Sam is assigned to on the show. I'm afraid we're going to have to wait and see. Quite frankly Weir, Teyla and Ronon get the short end of the stick now, so it shouldn't change too much. Screwing up the so called dynamic may or may not happen, believe me I'll be voicing my disapproval of TPTB's actions if they do what they did to SG-1.

*wanders off muttering*
*25 eps to cancellation*
*I hope they don't try to beat their own record*

I am sorry but Sam will take screen time/lines away from other people, how could she not? Unless in her 14 epsiodes she makes little more than a cameo appearance, which is fine by me, one or two minutes per episode. I don't agree that they screwed up the dynamic on SG1 at all, even if it was on topic.

If they put Carter in charge of Atlantis it will change everything and that is what this thread is all about, who should lead the Atlantis expedition. Carter is military, Weir is not. It would change the whole show, not a soft reset but a very hard one.

If they leave Weir in charge but only show her in a third of the episodes they will need to move the action away from the base. Or have her away from her desk when the action is on-base. It will get very silly, very quick.

I agree that Wier, Ronan and Teyla have the fewest lines and get the short end of the stick, I just don't see AT/Carter being given the same treatment. She will take away from the other main characters of Sheppard and Mackay, which imo isn't right or fair.

[RealmOfX]

I am sorry but Sam will take screen time/lines away from other people, how could she not? Unless in her 14 epsiodes she makes little more than a cameo appearance, which is fine by me, one or two minutes per episode. I don't agree that they screwed up the dynamic on SG1 at all, even if it was on topic.

If they put Carter in charge of Atlantis it will change everything and that is what this thread is all about, who should lead the Atlantis expedition. Carter is military, Weir is not. It would change the whole show, not a soft reset but a very hard one.

If they leave Weir in charge but only show her in a third of the episodes they will need to move the action away from the base. Or have her away from her desk when the action is on-base. It will get very silly, very quick.

I agree that Wier, Ronan and Teyla have the fewest lines and get the short end of the stick, I just don't see AT/Carter being given the same treatment. She will take away from the other main characters of Sheppard and Mackay, which imo isn't right or fair.

So by your logic if Weir, Ronan or Teyla get more lines or a more significant part (than they're getting now) then that's not fair because they are taking away from Shep & McKay?? Pretty screwy logic to me. Or does that logic only apply when the character is Carter?

Don't get me wrong - I do see it as possible that TPTB will screw it up. I just don't have a problem with Sam going to Atlantis as it's a military and scientific expedition and is exactly what she has the experience and qualifications for. At the moment no one has said what Sam will be doing and I sure do not think it will be leading the Atlantis Expedition. I know I have a low opinion of TPTB recent choices but even they couldn't be dumb enough to try a move like that. (touch wood)

[Night Spring]

At the moment no one has said what Sam will be doing and I sure do not think it will be leading the Atlantis Expedition. I know I have a low opinion of TPTB recent choices but even they couldn't be dumb enough to try a move like that. (touch wood)

And when the news first broke that Sam/AT will be in "a few" S4 episodes, I thought that even TPTB would surely not be dumb enough to include her in more than "a few" episodes -- I was thinking at most 6-7. Then I hear 14!

As others have pointed out, there's only so much screen time to go around. I don't mind some of McKay and Sheppard's screen time going to Teyla and Ronon, god knows those two deserve more. But for the screen time to be taken from any of the established SGA characters to be given to a "new" character -- that pisses me off. Not only that, but imo, TPTB never knew how to write Sam well, even in SG-1. It's so weird, I don't understand this apparent fascination TPTB has with Sam. McKay, they at least know how to make him interesting, but the way they write Sam is just all over the place. Why are they insisting on bringing over the one character from SG-1 that they never knew how to write for? It's just a recipe for disaster.

[SGFerrit]

Weir. I want Carter in Atlantis, I think it could be great, but I don't think she should be in charge of the expedition.

[flynn1959]

[QUOTE=RealmOfX;6225346]So by your logic if Weir, Ronan or Teyla get more lines or a more significant part (than they're getting now) then that's not fair because they are taking away from Shep & McKay?? Pretty screwy logic to me. Or does that logic only apply when the character is Carter?

QUOTE]

Any character getting a significant increase in lines/screen time etc must take away from another character, that is logical. I don't see any suggestion that Ronan and Teyla are having an increase only that Weir is having a huge decrease. Carter coming over to Atlantis will result in a decrease of time/lines for the other characters, those characters are going to be Rodney and Sheppard. Even if they give all of Wiers lines to Carter it still wont be enough, given the character will be on a par with Shepard and Mackay. Those extra lines will have to come from somewhere. What is now split between two with have to go three ways. Shepard and Makcay will miss out. That is logical. That is also imo not fair given the fact that Carter is a new character to Atlantis. I would feel the same if that new character was Daniel or Teal'c or Vala or Jack or Mitchell or Siler etc. It is not just because it is Carter.

[Astraldust]

I have no objection to Carter being on Atlantis I just don't see her leading the expedition. She could be lead military commander but Weeir should still lead the expedition.

Whereas I agree about Carter not leading the expedition, she shouldn't be put charge of the military either. I mean, where does that leave Sheppard? By putting Sam in charge, he would be demoted or what? They are both Lt. Colonels and Atlantis doesn't need another one.

Sheppard is the military commander of Atlantis.
Elizabeth Weir is the expeditions leader.

That's how it should be.

As for Sam Carter? She was great in SG-1 but that's where she should stay. If she's going to be in the movies how can she lead Atlantis at the same time? No if she must come over to SGA then only as a ship's commander. Please!

[ReganX]

So by your logic if Weir, Ronan or Teyla get more lines or a more significant part (than they're getting now) then that's not fair because they are taking away from Shep & McKay?? Pretty screwy logic to me. Or does that logic only apply when the character is Carter?

Logically, if any character(s) are getting more screentime than others, those characters will lose out if TPTB decide to divide screentime evenly between all regulars.

I have no idea what the exact figures are for Atlantis but imagine if there was a situation where the screentime was divided as below

Sheppard - 25%
McKay - 20%
Weir - 10%
Beckett - 10%
Teyla - 5%
Ronan - 5%
Other - 25%

If the screentime of the regulars was to be restructured as

Sheppard - 12.5%
McKay - 12.5%
Weir - 12.5%
Beckett - 12.5%
Teyla - 12.5%
Ronan - 12.5%
Other - 25%

then while Weir, Beckett, Teyla and Ronan would all be getting more screentime, McKay and Sheppard would be getting significantly less screentime.

For the next season, even if - and we can't know until we see Season Four - Sam was to inherit Weir's screentime and Jewel Staite's character Beckett's, they wouldn't be taking away screentime from Teyla or Ronan, not if TPTB were never going to give them that screentime in the first place. If it hadn't been Sam and Jewel Staite's character, it would have been someone else.

While there is a finite amount of screentime, if TPTB want to develop the characters that have been neglected so far, they will. If not, they'll fill the time some way or another.

[ReganX]

Whereas I agree about Carter not leading the expedition, she shouldn't be put charge of the military either. I mean, where does that leave Sheppard? By putting Sam in charge, he would be demoted or what? They are both Lt. Colonels and Atlantis doesn't need another one.

While Sam has been a lieutenant colonel longer than Sheppard - and may be promoted if she's to command a ship - and would undoubtedly do well as Atlantis' military commander, Sheppard has more experience with the Wraith and knows Atlantis and its people better so I think Sheppard should continue in his role, especially if Sam is only to be around short-term.

[Ace]

While Sam has been a lieutenant colonel longer than Sheppard - and may be promoted if she's to command a ship - and would undoubtedly do well as Atlantis' military commander, Sheppard has more experience with the Wraith and knows Atlantis and its people better so I think Sheppard should continue in his role, especially if Sam is only to be around short-term.

Sam has a couple more years to go before she has enough time in grade to be promoted to full Colonel.

Ace

[ReganX]

Sam has a couple more years to go before she has enough time in grade to be promoted to full Colonel.

Ace

How many years does she have to spend as a lieutenant colonel to qualify for promotion? Sam will have been one about three years at the beginning of Season Four.

[jenks]

I don't think it matters, SG never really keeps that level of realism anyway...

[Ace]

How many years does she have to spend as a lieutenant colonel to qualify for promotion? Sam will have been one about three years at the beginning of Season Four [Eight].

The typical time is around 5 years or more... though there are individuals who are fast-tracked through the ranks. However it would still be around 4 or 5 years for these individuals as well.

So I would guess that Sam still has at least another year or two before she would be promoted to full Colonel.

Though with TPTB anything can happen... O'Neill was promoted from Brigadier to Major General in just one year. Even if you are fast-tracked that usually takes 3 to 6 six years.

However Jack's case is special as he was promoted to fill in a higher level position. Many Generals can skip a rank if promoted to a position that normally requires a certain rank. I.E. 2 star (Major General) to 4 star (General)

Ace